Vietnam Ends WTO Discussion with New Zealand
Vietnam on January 25 signed an agreement with New Zealand to wrap up negotiations on its bid to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), state media reported.
Deputy Trade Minister Luong Van Tu chairs the signing ceremony in Hanoi with New Zealand, one among the three toughest remaining partners, the two others are the US and Australia.
Experts said the conclusion is an important step forward on Vietnam’s road to the WTO destination. Before, Vietnam had made sluggish progress with New Zealand and Vietnam held that the country echoed the high demands of the US.
But the bilateral negotiations ran speedily after the visit of New Zealand’s Governor General Silvia Cartwright late last November.
One day earlier, Vietnamese Ambassador to the WTO Ngo Quang Xuan inked a pact to officially wrap up WTO talks with Uruguay in Geneva. Vietnam has reached an initial accord with the South American country since mid last year.
Local news sources also released that Vietnam will quickly end WTO’s negotiation with Australia. Mid-last month, Deputy Trade Minister Tu also announced that Vietnam had made significant developments in negotiations to join the Geneva-based trade body with Australia.
To date, Vietnam wrapped up WTO talks with 23 among the 28 partners. It will have to continue negotiations with the US, Australia, Honduras, Mexico and Dominica.
B.T
Vietnamese
